Once Marinette's eyes had fixated on the two thieves who stayed locked behind bars, her eyes had widened larger then the planet earth itself. There was just no way.

"Alya?" Marientte was beyond confused as to why Alya, her so called partner, was locked inside the metal cage. Alya was her colleague; she worked for the law; why was she behind bars?

Alya simply hung her head low, avoiding all eye contact with Marinette, and not bothering to utter a single word. Suddenly, Marinette eyes were fixed on the man beside her, and if her eyes could widen any larger, they surely would've stretched across the universe.

"Carl?!"

Chat had suddenly turned to look at his partner in shock, "You know this scum?"

Marinette and Chat defiantly weren't the only two surprised out of their wits, "Marinette!" Carl was also bewildered at her presence, "W-what in the world-? How did you get here?"

I guess he didn't mind that he was just called scum.

"I could ask you that same question," Marinette narrows her eyes at him, suddenly feeling uneasy about ever wanting this man to drive a cab for her.

"How do you two know each other?" Chat interjects, but Marinette is too busy staring daggers into her old acquaintance's eyes to acknowledge Chat's question.

"It's a complete misunderstanding, I tell you." Carl begins to explain, although Marinette isn't to thrilled to listen to his excuse. "It was all the brown-haired girls' fault! She bribed me into it!"

Alya gasped and crossed her arms above her chest, "Excuse me?! I clearly remember you saying-"

"I don't care!" Marinette suddenly shouts, causing both prisoners to jump and even causing Chat Noir to become startled, "I don't care how or why you two know each other! All I know is that there is a lot of explaining for each of you to do!"

And that got Carl and even Alya to both shut their traps. Even Chat didn't dare speak a word as both guards who were standing guard beside the cage escorted themselves out and shut the door behind themselves, leaving Chat and Marientte alone.

"I think you should go," Mairnette says to him, really catching Chat off guard.

"What?" He utters, "But we're a team, we do this toge-"

"Please," is all she says to interrupt him, and Chat is unbelievably shocked when it almost sounds as if she was begging for him to go. He complies however, and simply nods without a word before making his way towards the door.

Once he leaves, Marientte turns back to look at the two, disappointment laced in all her features, "Now, both of you get ready to tell me everything you know."

〰

Both of Chat's guards continued to wait outside of the door while Marinette did who knew what on the other side. Meanwhile, Chat Noir couldn't help but pace back and forth at the thought of not being able to witness what was going on in there. He was desperate to know what those two knew.

Especially Alya, since he knew her somewhat.

But he still couldn't comprehend; why had they been trying to steal from his building?

Chat shook those thoughts away to concentrate on what really mattered.

Besides, he also didn't like the idea of Marinette being in that room alone with them. With him.

How many guys did Mairnette know who seemed to know her better than he did? First, it was the lunatic Doctor Damon, and now a cab driver who Marinette actually decided to remember his name and hook up with his number?

Who actually becomes besties with a one time cab driver?

The more Chat and Marinette dug deeper into things together, the more Chat was discovering about his partner that she never dared to tell him. Why hadn't she mentioned about the doctor or the cab driver? Why did he have to figure it out on his own?

Stop that! He scolded himself, If Marinette wants you to know her business, she'll tell you! You don't need to go prying into where you don't belong!

And he had to keep reminding himself that, because every time he turned to look back at that door, the jealousy came rushing back.

He just didn't understand why he was always the last person to find out something new about Mairnette. It was as if she was refusing to share anything with him.

Except of course, that she had been a doctor in the past.

But that didn't explain much.

Suddenly, the door began to creek open, and Chat was the first to lock his eyes on it as Mairnette slowly emerged from the other side. She said nothing as she opened it wider, and she didn't need to say anything for the guard to go back to their posts.

Once the door had been closed again and only Chat and Marientte stood in the room, Chat cleared his throat, "So? How'd it go?"

"Fine, I guess." Was her response, but Chat could clearly tell his partner was uneasy and not wanting to talk.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Chat suddenly feels an urge of anger and announce hitting him as hard as a rock. He furrows his brows at Marinette, "I should know what they said, Marinette. We're in this together remember? Or did you forget that you were the one who wanted me to be your partner?"

If those words stung, Marinette didn't bother to show it. Instead she lifted her head to meet Chat Noir's angry gaze, "You're right."

Chat didn't like that response either, and his anger grew, "About what?!"

When he shouted, Marinette couldn't help but flinch at his harsh words. It reminded her of her past; all the yelling, slamming, slapping; it was something she never wanted to go back to.

This time however, Marinette wasn't going to be pushed around, "Why are you even yelling?" She decides to ask, bravely frowning up at him, "What have I done to make you upset?"

"You're not telling me what happened in there!" He points to the door, frustrated, "And you made me leave! I should've been in there with you!"

Her frown deepens, "Does it really matter?"

This time, Chat growls, "Of course it matters! Why would you not want me to witness what they had to say?"

Before Marinette is able to respond however, Chat suddenly let's his jealousy get to his head, "Unless, you're in alliance with them. With him! That would explain the secrecy!"

That's when Mairnette's facial expression suddenly turns angry, and her eyebrows furrow deeply together, "You think I'm on the criminal's side?"

"It would explain why you kicked me out!" Chat hisses.

"I didn't kick you out!" Mairnette suddenly decides to shout back, and this time, Chat is taken of guard, "I asked you to leave because I didn't want you to be in the room if they were to say something bad about you or your reputation. I asked you to leave because I wanted to protect you! That's what partners do! They look out for each other, protect each other, and believe each other."

Suddenly, all of Chat's anger is washed away, and he realizes what a terrible mistake he has made. However, Marinette continues before he is given a chance to apologize, "I can't believe, that after everything we've been through, you would accuse me of being the bad guy. The one who stole that jewel and started this whole mess. I didn't become a cop just to come move to Paris and steal a gem, Char Noir, I came here to make a difference and help others."

"Is that what you've thought this whole time?" Marinette suddenly asks, and Chat's eyes meet her again, "How do I know that this whole time I have had your full trust?"

"It's- that's not what I meant to say Marinette! I-I do trust you!" He admits.

"And I should believe you why?" She asks again, "It's not like you believe me."

However, before Chat can try to apologize, Marinette hangs her head low as she begins to murmur, "Carl explained he had been working for the person who stole the gem for a long time. He said they had been planning the robbery for months, and his leader had the best access to the security systems. Somehow, this guy had eyes on the inside since the very beginning."

"Alya's one of them too," Marinette continues to explain, "She said she had joined recently after the visitation with her boyfriend, Nicholas, in the police station. She had said she had been persuaded then."

Then Mairnette sighs, "Neither of them would tell me who they're working for or who stole the jewel. They have chosen to keep it to themselves."

The room quickly goes quiet after that, and Marinette doesn't bother to utter another word. Chat Noir opens and closes his mouth, trying to find the exact words to say to her. But when he opens his mouth for at least the fifth time to say something, Marinette stops him with the raise of her hand, "Save it, Chat." She says, "Don't bother with an apology or anything, because you were right."

He raises an eyebrow, "You were right about me wanting you to be my partner. But, did you forget you also agreed to be in the position you are now?"

"You agreed to be my partner, remember?" She cocks an eyebrow, " I didn't force you to join me. I just thought you would be a great replacement for Alya."

"And you are," she continues on, "You actually helped me. You showed interest and persuasion; you threatened me, but you also saved my life a couple of times." She then sighs, finally letting her eyes drift up to his, "You showed me what a true partner is, and that's what I wanted."

Wanted?

"Listen Chat," she still continues to go on, not bothering to give him a chance to speak, "If you want to find out who stole the jewel, have at it, but I'm out." She suddenly hands him the case file since the beginning; the one she and Alya had received from their superior, and the one Chat never noticed she had carried with her. "It's literally only got one picture in it," she chuckles lightly, "But, I'm sure it could help."

Chat grips onto the file, looking back at her with a look of sadness in his eyes, "Y-you're just giving up? Just like that?"

She just nods, "I'm sure you'd do better on this case with someone you can trust. Who'd be a better person to trust other than yourself?"

That struck Chat hard in the chest.

__________________________

Wrote an extra long chapter apologizing for all the tags😂

Please forgive meeeeeeeee

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Thanks!
Until next time~ which hopefully will be sooner~
-Dippy